Country artist Gage Cowart is getting ready to release a new song, and Panama City music fans will have the chance to celebrate it with him before the rest of the world hears it.

The Gage Cowart Band will turn its Thursday, October 1 performance at the Backstage Pass Concert Series into the official hometown release party for Cowart’s new single, “Leaving You Behind.”

The free concert begins at 7 p.m. on the Panama City Marina Lawn in Downtown Panama City. At midnight, following the show, “Leaving You Behind” officially releases on Friday, October 2, 2026.

Cowart’s October 1 appearance is part of Bay Arts Alliance’s six-week Backstage Pass series. Destination Panama City confirms the Gage Cowart Band as the featured performer that evening at the Marina Lawn, located at 7 Harrison Avenue, between Harrison’s Kitchen & Bar and Hotel Indigo Panama City Marina. Admission to the concert is free.

Hotel Indigo Panama City Marina offers a waterfront dining experience that blends stunning marina views with coastal cuisine right in the heart of downtown.

Tarpon’s, the main restaurant, serves Southern-inspired breakfasts and Gulf seafood-focused dinners in a relaxed yet refined setting overlooking St. Andrews Bay.

Standout dishes include grouper, shrimp remoulade, crab cakes, and creative breakfast classics, along with a cocktail menu that nods to local history.

Upstairs, Steam on 5 draws guests to its rooftop for sunset cocktails, craft drinks, and sharable small plates like ceviche, Gulf shrimp, and Wagyu sliders, all with panoramic bay views.

With live music and the salty air, both locals and visitors will find Hotel Indigo the perfect spot to unwind, enjoy the waterfront, and get a true taste of Panama City’s laid-back, coastal spirit.

One of Panama City’s most familiar streets is getting statewide recognition, and now Bay County residents have an opportunity to help bring home the title. 

Harrison Avenue in Historic Downtown Panama City has been selected as one of four finalists for the 2026 Great Places in Florida People’s Choice Award, presented by the American Planning Association Florida Chapter, better known as APA Florida.

This year’s theme is “Great People-Focused Places,” recognizing Florida spaces that create connections between people and their communities, preserve local identity and culture, and provide places where people genuinely want to gather and belong.

For anyone who has spent time in Downtown Panama City, it is easy to understand why Harrison Avenue made the list.

If your child lights up at the sight of a fire truck, construction vehicle or anything with a big engine, Touch-A-Truck 2026 may be one of the most exciting family events of the fall.

Presented by the City of Panama City Parks, Culture & Recreation Department, the annual Touch-A-Truck event returns Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Carl Gray Park in Panama City. Admission is free and open to the public.

Get Up Close With the Big Trucks

Touch-A-Truck gives children something they normally don't get to do: step beyond the sidewalk and get an up-close look at the vehicles they see working around Panama City every day.

The City says this year's lineup will include fire trucks, police vehicles, construction equipment, street sweepers, garbage trucks, SWAT vehicles, school buses, ambulances and more. 

Fall fishing season is about to get even more exciting in Panama City Beach. The 4th Annual Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo returns October 3–11, 2026, bringing nine days of competition, daily weigh-ins and family-friendly activities to Capt. Anderson’s Marina on Grand Lagoon.

Hosted by the Bay County Artificial Reef Association (BCARA), this year’s rodeo will feature $32,000 in cash prizes and a wide range of divisions designed to include experienced offshore anglers as well as recreational fishermen, divers and those fishing closer to shore. 

A Fishing Rodeo for Just About Everyone

One of the things that makes the PCB Fishing Rodeo different from a traditional offshore tournament is the number of ways people can participate.

When fall arrives in Panama City, Thursday nights mean live music by the bay. Backstage Pass, one of Panama City’s longest-running concert traditions, returns in 2026 with six consecutive weeks of free outdoor concerts at the Marina Lawn in Downtown Panama City.

Presented by the Bay Arts Alliance, the 2026 series begins Thursday, September 17 and runs every Thursday through October 22. Concerts begin at 7:00 p.m. and continue until approximately 9:00 p.m. Admission is completely free.

When and Where

Dates: Thursdays, September 17–October 22, 2026
Time: 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Location: Marina Lawn, 7 Harrison Avenue, Downtown Panama City

Admission: FREE